Injecting and carbureting apparatus for heavy-oil high-power engines



@at i3, 1925. 1,557,397

A.. BAGNuLo INJECTING AND CARBURETING APPARATUS FOR HEAVY OIL HIGH POWER ENGINES Filed Maly 22. 1922 Patented Oct. 13, 1925i.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERTO BAGNULO, OF TURIN, ITALY.

Application filed May 22, 1922. Serial No. 562,702.

To all 'ic/710my it may concern Be it known that I, ALBERTO BAGNULO, a subject of the King of Italy, residing at, and whose post-office address` is, 13 via Bogino, Turin, in the Kingdom of Italy, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Injecting and Carbureting Apparatus for Heavy-Oil High-Power Engines; and I do hereby declare the following to be ay full, clear, andkexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a `.part of this specification.

It is well known that petroleum is a miX- ture of hydrocarbons and burns gradually owing to the different flashing points of its constituents. Some kinds of petroleum and particularly the residues of distillation commercially known as heavy oils after being distilled to 830 C., leave residues containing carbon which are unsuitable for further distillation. Said residues are strongly objectionable in engines using petroleum as fuel.

The heavy oils moreover burn rather slowly, so that the engine cannot effect combustions at constant volume explosions.

rIhe slow combustion necessitates a `strong excess of air over thel theoretical quantity thus requiring the piston to sweep a large quantity of air and the engine to work at a retarded speed, while an increased size ofv the engine is y strongly objectionable on technical as well as on mechanical grounds, such slow combustion prevents the working of the engine when the power rises.

In order to overcome said .-disadvantages, the combustion of the hydrocarbon must be quick and complete and a fractional or gradual combustion must be avoided. This result is partially obtained in the engines now in use through temperature and compression. These elements, however, not being sufficient, the device forming the object of this invention utilizes catalytic action in addition thereto.

Nickel, copper, palladium, cobalt, zinc, platinum and pulverized iron are very good catalyzing agents.

The presence of the catalyzing agent de compo'ses the hydrocarbons approximately into 7.4% hydrogen, 46.3% methane, 23.80% ethane, and 8.5% nonsaturate-d hydrocarbons, these latter giving, however, incomplete combustion and objectionable residue.

This disadvantage is further eliminated by injecting steam which decomposes owing to the high temperature and hydrates the nonsaturated hydrocarbons, generating a strong action due to the hydrogen developing, whereby a more inflammable fuel is obtained. The use of a water shower or spray has hitherto proved to be very useful in engines, but the benefit deriving therefrom was ascribed to the oxygen, which is not necessary as there is a strong excess of air over the theoretical quantity required. The steam generally prevents the deposit of residues in the engines but as it is insuiiicientin some cases I inject a current of air on the carbon containing residues as is done in stills producing illuminating gas. The catalysis generates a larger amount of calories and high temperatures can be obtained while reducing the quantity of air required for combustion nearly to the theoretical value, and highly improving the efficiency of the engine. y

The accompanying drawings show, by way of example, two constructional forms of this injecting and carbureting apparatus.

Fig. l is a vertical section of the first constructional form and Fig. 2 is a vertical section ofthe modified form of my apparatus. v

Referring to Fig. lof the drawings:

The injecting and carbureting apparatus A is connected to the upper end of the cylinder B and communicates directly with the head thereof through the openingC.

The apparatus A comprises a combustion chamber D and an injector E.

The injector E comprises the double conc diffuser or sprayer F and the valve-holder G. Said valve-holder is provided with two chambers H and I closed by valves K and L respectively, having a single rod M and opening into the combustion chamber D.

The valves K and L are held on their seats by the spring O.

The fuel flows from N to the chamber H through a non-return valve N.

The steam arrives int-o the chamber I through the tube P passing within the combustion chamber D, where the water coming through the tube Q is converted into steam. The tube Q is provided with a nonreturn valve Q.

The injector is operated by the usual means, and the timed iiow of the water and fuell into their respective chambers I and H is operated by means of ordinary pumps.

Below the injector E is situated a net or sponge It of nickel or other catalyzing metal. Said net R obstructs the inlet C to the driving cylinder B.

The combustion chamber D is closed below by a metal bulb S. Said bulb is pren viously heated by means of a usual Swedish lamp not shown, as in the usual hot bulb engines, and it keeps hot for the succesive combustions.

lVhen the two valves K and L open, the steam in the chamber I drives under a high pressure the fuel out of the chamber I-I, and pulverizes the same through the sprayer F forcing it into the catalyzing sponge R.

lVhile the combustion takes place, and during the compression stroke a. strong ourrent of air is injected on the sponge R. The combustion of the hydrocarbon is thus complete.

In the modified construction sho-wn in Fig. 2, B denotes the driving cylinder, and S the small hot bulb for igniting the fuel, which is closed above by a metallic net G adapted to act as a catalyzing agent as described above.

In the tube IV is situated a coil F to which flows the water to be vaporized through the tube Z. Owing to the high temperature in the combustion chamber S, the water is transformed into steam in the coil F and is conveyed through the tube T to the injecting chamber a above the automatic valve X opening into the combustion chamber ofV the engine. In the injecting chamber arrives also the fuel flowing thro-ugh the pipe V and controlled by hand by means of a needle valve V. The stem of the automatic valve X carries at its upper end a valve Y closing (on a seat provided on the upper part of the injector) when the lower valve X is opened, so that when this latter closes the valve Y connects the injecting chamber with the atmosphere.

When the valve X closes, the steam Hows throughV the tube Tto the outside through the valve Y which is open for the inlet of the fuel iowing through the tube V and for preventing any counter-pressure on the column of water flowing from Z.

On the suction stroke, the valve X opens and the valve Y closes, the steam coming through T is then drawn in together with the fuel. The air compressed by the cylinder B causes the mixture of fuel and steam to filter through the net I-I and to enter the hot chamber S where the carburetion is completed and the mixture burns thus effecting the power stroke.

lVhat I claim is:

l. In combination with a cylinder of an internal combustion engine, a combustion chamber communicating with said cylinder, an injecting device communicating with the chamber, a catalyzing body disposed in the latter, means for separately supplying oil and steam to the injecting device and means to permit the oil and steam to mix in the injecting device and to be injected into said combustion chamber.

2. In combination with a cylinder of an internal combustion engine, of a combustion chamber in communication with said cylinder, an injecting device adapted to communicate with the chamber, a catalyzing body disposed in the latter, means for separately supplying oil and steam to the injecting device, means to permit the oil and steam to mix in the latter, and a sprayer connecting the injector and chamber and through which the mixture passes into the combustion chamber.

`3. In combination with a cylinder of an internal combustion engine, of a combustion chamber separate from and in communication with said cylinder, a catalyzing body disposed in the chamber, an injecting device having separate oil and steam chambers, means for supplying oil and steam respectively to the chambers, a valve controlling communication between the oil and steam chambers, means to actuate said valve to permit the mixture of oil and steam, and a sprayer connecting the injector and combustion chamber through which said mixture passes into the latter.

4. In combination with a cylinder of an internal combustion engine, of a combustion chamber communicating with said cylinder, a catalyzing body disposed in the chamber, an injecting device having an oil chamber therein, means for supplying oil to the latter chamber, a steam chamber in the injector abo-ve the oil chamber, a valve controlling communication between the oil and steam chambers, a sprayer interposed between the oil chamber and combustion chamber, a valve controlling communication between the oil chamber and sprayer, and means to actuate the valves, whereby the oil is forced by the steam into the sprayer and combustion chamber.

5. In combination with a cylinder of an internal combustion engine, of t combustion oil chamber and combustion chamber, a

chamber communicating with the upper p01'- valve controlling communication between tion oi' the Cylinder, a catalyzing bod7 disthe oil chamber and sprayer, and means to posed in the chamber, an injecting device actuate the valves whereby the steam and o comprising an oil chamber and :i steam oil chambers are placed in communication l5 chamber, a Valve controlling communication with the sprayer and combustion chamber. between the oil and steam chambers, a, water In testimony that I claim the foregoing as conduit passing through the combustion my invention, I have signed my name. chamber and communicating` with the steam 10 chamber, a sprayer interposed between the ALBERTO BAGNULO. 

